Hans von Hammer
Born in 1896 in Germany, Hans von Hammer was the son of a wealthy baron. His mother died when von Hammer was young, and he was principally raised by his father, who sought to instill in his son a sense of honour and gentlemanly conduct. He also trained him in the art of personal combat, at which he excelled. When war broke out between Germany and the Allies, von Hammer was amongst the first to sign up, joining the nascent flight training school. He acquitted himself admirably at the school, displaying great talent in the air. Upon his graduation from the school he rose swiftly through the ranks, becoming the leader of his own squadron. Flying as a fighter pilot during the war, von Hammer rapidly amasses an impressive record, accounting for upwards of 70 kills over the course of the war. His flights bring him up against a number of other aces, including a Canadian ace known as the Hunter, the French pilot known as the Hangman, and the English St George. Maintaining his strict code of honour, von Hammer struggles with the need to kill others, and refuses to kill other pilots who were injured or unable to fight back. After the war, von Hammer travels to China. There, he lives for some time, acting as a commercial pilot. He is hired by Chiang Kai-Shek and General Joseph W Stillwell to attempt to recover mystical items that, if found, are rumored to be able to restore China to its former glory. He travels with a small group of other adventurers to Dragon Island, also known as Dinosaur Island, where they are set upon by Miss Fear, Vandal Savage and an army of half-human ninjas. They are able to recover the swords after battling the villains, and return them and a Komodo Dragon to their employer. Returning to Germany, von Hammer is unable to resist being drawn into the Second World War by Luftwaffe comrades, despite his personal opposition to the Nazis. He flies over Russia and again accumulates an impressive victory count. He crashes in Russia and is taken prisoner but manages to escape. Sometime later he is shot down over Dachau concentration camp. Upon learning the full extent of Germany's involvement in the extermination camps that litter Central Europe, von Hammer defects in disgust. Urging his men to join him, he destroys the German jets under his control and surrenders himself to Sgt Rock and Easy Company. In 1969, having retired to a sanitarium off the west coast of Germany, the elderly von Hammer is approached by Edward Mannock, a Vietnam veteran turned journalist. The two share their experiences in the wars, exorcising their demons through their shared experiences. He shares his memoirs with Mannock, and counsels the younger man on how to deal with the demons that haunt him. Having passed on his story, von Hammer dies peacefully at the age of 73. Awards *Pour le Mérite Winners *Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Von Hammer, Hans Von Hammer, Hans Von Hammer, Hans Von Hammer, Hans Von Hammer, Hans Von Hammer, Hans Von Hammer, Hans Von Hammer, Hans Von Hammer, Hans Von Hammer, Hans Von Hammer, Hans